Serves 1
For the pappardelle:
-
- 75g fine semolina
- 25g pasta flour
- 40-50g warm water
- ½ teaspoon olive oil
- large pinch of salt
- Extra semolina for rolling
In a small mixing bowl, combine all the dry ingredients well. Make a well in the centre of the bowl, add about 40g of warm water and the olive oil. Using a fork and working from the inside, slowly start to combine the water and dry ingredients. If the dough become very dry and difficult to combine, add a little more warm water. Knead the dough for 5-10 minutes. The texture of the dough should be the texture of a stress ball, and be dry enough that is doesn’t stick to itself too easily. Allow to rest for a few minutes before rolling.
Dust the surface generously with semolina/flour (keeping extra on the side) and roll the dough as thin as possible (no more than 1mm ideally). Dust both sides with semolina/flour, then roll up the sheet. Place the sheet on a chopping board, and cut the dough into 2.5cm strips. When you are finished, unroll and separate the strips and dust with semolina/flour. Place the strips onto a tray and allow to dry for 15 to 20 minutes.
For the sauce:
- For the sauce: 2x pork or vegetarian sausages (approx 140g)- skin removed, ½ a small shallot- peeled (approx 25g), 2x large vine tomatoes (approx 180g)- stalk removed and light cross on bottom, 1 clove of peeled garlic, ½ teaspoon fennel seeds, 20g olive oil. Salt and pepper.
Finely chop the shallot, and finely slice the garlic.
Bring a medium size saucepan of water to the boil (big enough so that water covers tomatoes) and place the prepared tomatoes in the water for 5 to 10 seconds (until you see the skin starting to loosen), than remove them and place in a bowl under running water for 30 seconds. Remove the tomatoes from the water and dry with kitchen paper. Remove the skins and slice into 1cm strips and then dice, reserving all the liquid.
Heat a medium size frying pan over a medium/high heat, and the add the olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the sausage. Try to break the sausage into smaller pieces. When lightly golden brown in colour add the fennel seeds, after around 15 seconds add the shallot and garlic. Cook until the garlic and shallot is lightly caramelised and then add the diced tomato, continue to cook for around 10 minutes or until the liquid is evaporated. Check the seasoning, adding salt and pepper if required.
To finish: 20g freshly grated parmesan
Cook the pasta in a large pan of salted boiling water for a couple of minutes, drain (reserve some of the cooking water), and add straight into the prepared sauce. Add a splash of the cooking water and a generous sprinkle of grated parmesan cheese, and toss to combine. Serve immediately.
